October 13th
by NakuruAngel
Summary: RESUB! Cid has got the perfect plan for Vincent's birthday party, and it consists of waffles, karaoke and a new face named Captain. Valenwind, aka CidVincent. YAOI, oneshot.


October 13th, and a pale beam of sunshine crept feebly through the bedroom window of Vincent Valentine. It danced on his pale eyelids for a few seconds, prompting him into awakeness. His dreams, containing a certain blonde pilot and a bedroom, faded rapidly into drowsiness, and he rolled over in bleary frustration. His eyebrows knit as he tried to remember the details of the dream, but soon gave up. A knock sounded at the hotel room door, forcing him to sit up. Before he could respond, Cid came bounding through the door.

"Hey Vinny! G'mornin'!" he shouted, slapping Vincent on the shoulder, knocking him back onto the bed as he tried to stand up.

"Do you have any _idea_ what time it is?" Vincent asked irritably. Cid glanced, imperceptive, at the clock, and shrugged.

"Like, 7:30. Why?" he asked, confused at Vincent's sudden dislike for the morning.

"Exactly. What do you think you are doing at my hotel at seven a.m.?" Vincent asked scornfully.

Cid looked hurt. Giving Vincent his biggest, bluest puppy-dog eyes, he replied, "But Vinny, it's your birthday, and I was only trying to make you happy, and wake you up so I could give you your birthday gift…"

Cid continued whining in an almost pathetic way until Vincent, with a sudden jolt of memory that today was his birthday, went about slipping his shoes on, standing up, and letting one of his rare smiles cross his lips. Cid saw this, and was immediately cheered again.

Vincent, however, was not. He was always glad to see Cid Highwind, but his birthday usually marked a day filled with sorrow and moping about and painful memories and loneliness. This year, however, was obviously going to be different, and he was very cautious about opening his arms to this change.

"So, Vinny, you ready to hit the road?" Cid asked happily. Vincent looked at him, unaware that they were going someplace other than his kitchen table.

"What do you mean?" he asked.

"We're goin' to breakfast with the crew!" Cid replied, pointing a callused thumb over his shoulder at the door. Vincent peered outside into the crisp half-sunlight of the autumn morning, and realized that there, in the parking lot, was a car. It was cool grey, and was obviously full of Tifa, Cloud, Yuffie and Marlene.

"Breakfast…?" Vincent muttered, beginning to understand. Before he could complete his thought, Cid grabbed him by the elbow and pulled him gently but forcefully out to the car. He opened the door to the passenger side and invited Vincent to sit down. He did, and Cid got into the driver's side.

"Happy birthday, Vincent!" a young, happy voice squealed from just behind him. He twisted around in his seat, and saw Marlene smiling fearlessly at him, warm brown eyes offering an innocent sort of shelter he'd not had since times long forgotten. His eyes moved to the person next to her, Tifa, her own eyes warm and inviting, who nodded slightly in greeting. Vincent nodded as well, moving last to Cloud and Yuffie.

Cloud merely looked at him, but in that look was recognition that only the two men shared. Their bond was forged from battles fought side-by-side, and from the lives that they together saved. Vincent could never have with another person quite what he had with Cloud—a sort of brotherly soldier relationship.

"Yeah, Vinny, happy birthday!" the ever-vocal Yuffie half-shouted in his ear. He couldn't suppress a smile. Yuffie was one character he'd never forget, no matter how much time passed.

"Alright, people, seatbelts!" Cid shouted, turning the car on. Everybody complied without hesitation. Vincent had never driven in a car with Cid, but though his piloting skills were great, he had plenty reason to doubt his basic driving skills. His seatbelt clicked into place.

Half an hour later, having had to speak to a gentleman about a run-over fence, the group had finally reached their destination: Waffle-a-Gogo Palace, the all-day breakfast restaurant and, at night, karaoke bar.

They entered through a set of sturdy wooden doors, and were met by a young teenager wearing the Waffle-a-Gogo Palace uniform.

"Are you all together?" she asked them, and Cid nodded. "Right this way, then," the girl said, smiling broadly and leading them towards a table large enough to fit their numbers. Seating themselves, they happily took the menus the waitress handed them.

"Drinks?" she asked. A chorus of preferred drinks rang out through the table, and the girl scratched them down quickly. Cid, of course, requested the waitress's recommended tea, Yuffie and Marlene both chose orange juice, Cloud asked for coffee and Tifa wanted lemonade. Vincent picked water.

A strange silence fell over the table after the waitress left. A question squirmed on Vincent's lips, but he was almost afraid to ask it. Finally Yuffie, the tension getting to her quickly, asked it for him.

"So, Cid, tell Vincent what we're going to do with him today!" she said, looking meaningfully at the pilot. Cid grinned in response.

"Well, now that you mention it, we did have some stuff planned, Vin," he started out. Vincent groaned slightly at the hated nickname, but left it.

"And what would that be?" he asked, not wanting the answer.

"Well," Cid said, "first would be breakfast here. Then after this, we're gonna go back to the hotel to open presents. And tonight we're coming back here for the _real_ party."

Vincent had almost stopped listening at the word 'presents'. Never, since the incident with Hojo, had the gunman celebrated a birthday with presents and celebration and _fun._ Never had he had friends to celebrate _with._

However, his reverie had not been deep enough to hide from him the dangerous hint in Cid's voice as he said 'real party'.

The waitress soon came back with their drinks, and they all ordered their food. Talk and laughter circled the table, drawing Vincent into it with smiles more and more frequent as he chatted with his friends.

Friends…truest of the true _friends._

With this knowledge in mind, the rest of the morning passed quickly, their food disappearing all too soon as the Avalanche group recollected exciting events, embarrassing stories and so forth. Though most of the talk was fairly adult stuff, Marlene seemed incredibly interested. She commented now and then, her voice surprisingly loud enough for everyone to hear. And, startled by her, they would all pause to listen, and then answer. Actually, it seemed like the young girl was really following the conversation, and that made the breakfast all the more interesting.

Cid noticed then that Vincent—calm, collective, precise Vincent—was rapidly losing track of the time, becoming quite lost in the talking.

"Well, it's getting later, let's us pile out and go back to Vin's hotel," Cid said, sadly interrupting the current joke mid-laugh.

A chorus of agreement rang through the group, and up they got, exiting the Waffle-a-Gogo Palace and filing into the car. Vincent gazed out the window as the engine started up, wondering why the sky was so pale and grey on a day like this. Friday the 13th, his birthday. With Cid Highwind in the seat next to him. And a tummy full of waffles. Nothing could possibly waste his mood now, not even the promise of rain later in the day.

They headed back to Vincent's, and began unloading with their gifts in hand. Each going through the door, they sat on and around his bed, leaving room enough for the gunman to sit in the middle comfortably—next to Cid.

"So, Vinny, you ready to open 'em up?" Cid asked, subtlety unknown to him. Vincent blushed softly, causing Cid to chuckle knowingly.

"Siddown here, Vin, and open up Yuffie's first, she's been begging all day," he said, and it was difficult to argue, being as Cid had begun pulling on Vincent's worn red cape the minute he was in range.

Cid handed him a box wrapped in blinding silver paper with unimaginably glittery purple stars on it. It had been wrapped hurriedly, in obvious excitement. There was a big, flamboyant purple ribbon on top, and a white tag with Yuffie's energetic scrawl saying: "To: Vincent, From: Yuffie. Happy birthday!"

He carefully unwrapped it, trying to see where the tape was past the flashing silver and purple. Eventually it came loose, and inside it was a box. He opened the flaps of the box, and saw a large square piece of black plastic. Finding a soft strap, he held it up, finding that it was a camera. An expensive one too, from the looks of it. Very technical, very modern. It even had his name in red on the black leather grip on the strap. Vincent looked at Yuffie in surprise, but when he saw her smiling gaily back at him, he couldn't stop himself flashing a pearly white smile in thanks.

"We decided you should save your memories," Yuffie said lightly. "We thought the best way was with a camera. So I found one and wrapped it up for you." She beamed.

"Well, thank you, Yuffie. Maybe it is time I start saving my memories," Vincent answered seriously.

"Mine next!" Marlene demanded, standing timidly and handing Vincent a large square box covered in smooth cool-grey paper. Vincent looked up at Marlene, at her soft brown eyes, and began to unwrap the box. He found out soon, however, that it was not a box, but a photo album. It had a big piece of sheer papery stuff over the front for putting pictures in, and the insides had gleaming metal corners and thick-papered pages, perfect for preserving memories in.

"Thank you, Marlene, this is perfect for my memories," he said, echoing his thoughts. She smiled happily, and sank back into Tifa's lap. Tifa handed him his next present. Her wrapping was white, with red and black and grey circles and rings on it. It came with a card that had a blown-up picture of a sunrise on the front. On the inside it said, "It's your birthday, your new dawn. Make it special." He decided then and there to take the words to heart.

Unfolding the wrapping, he found a small box. Opening that, he took out—a cell phone. It was black, with red flames spiraling upwards from the razor-thin flip half and also the bottom of the base half. He flipped it open, and it said, in big, red letters: "Good morning, Vincent." He smiled, the humor of the gift finally sinking in. He turned to Tifa.

"I suppose you'll be wanting me to call you now," he teased lightly. She laughed.

"Oh, only on occasion," she teased back. The whole group laughed then, and Vincent quite enjoyed the sensation. Laughter hadn't filled his lungs in so long, that this laughter, filling his entire body, was almost breathtaking. It finally calmed down. The last presents were from Cloud and Cid. Cloud handed his to Vincent, and he took it into his lap.

Cloud had picked simple red paper—probably the only wrapping paper he owned, truthfully. Vincent opened it slowly, the wrapping not being as neat as the others. Inside, he found, folded up, a clean, whole red headband. Picking it up, he let the long, untainted ends flow around his forearm for a moment, before glancing at Cloud. He was smirking at him, actually. So Vincent smirked back. All in all, it was quite a display of smirking, and then another laughing attack. Vincent carefully untied the battered headband from his pale forehead, replacing it with the new one. It was soft and silky, but firm enough to stay on through battle. He nodded appreciatively.

Last was Cid's. The pilot handed him a bright red box with a lid on it and a sky blue ribbon tying it down. It was slightly moving, actually, and Vincent was scared to open it.

"Go on, Vin, it won't bite…at least, that's what _they_ told me…," Cid grumbled in a very non-reassuring way. Vincent stalled for a second by rearranging his hair over his shoulder, but finally he had to open it. He undid the ribbon, and before he could do anything about it, something leapt out of the box and threw the lid off, landing softly in his lap.

Vincent let out a yell, and cringed away before he realized that it was only…a puppy! An adorable, tiny, round little black puppy with white paws and a white heart-like shape with a few spots on it on its hip.

"D'ya like 'im, Vin?" Cid asked between laughs. Actually, everybody was laughing at Vincent's previous fear of the puppy.

"Like him? Well, I—hey!" Vincent exclaimed, trying to fight off the pink tongue that had just emerged from the puppy and attacked him. Cid laughed and forced the puppy off of Vincent. Vincent used his cloak to wipe the sticky saliva from his cream-colored face, and glared in quite a loving way at the black fur ball in Cid's lap.

"So what will you name him?" Tifa asked, cocking her head to one side at the humor of it all. Vincent looked at her, thinking. Then, he looked Cid straight in the eyes, sapphire clashing with crimson.

"I think I'll name him Captain," he said decisively. Cid was shocked for a moment, his eyes widened, but then he threw his head up and laughed, his lungs obviously working very hard for the sound to be as loud and absolutely pure as it was.

"Thank you, Cid, so much," he said simply. Cid grinned broadly and rested his hand on the red-clad shoulder for a moment before letting it drop to his side. In that moment, Vincent experienced something quite different from the surprise and happiness the present had given him. He couldn't place it, but whatever it was left a warm spot where Cid's hand had been, making the rest of him feel much colder suddenly.

He took out the beautiful camera, and studied it for a moment.

"Everybody sit on the bed," he said, moving his gifts to the floor for the time being and taking Captain from Cid. Everybody complied, and soon he was forced to move very close to Cid—touching him, his arm pressed against the pilot's, in such a way that made him color red. He buried his face behind the upper part of his cloak and turned on the camera, taking off the lens cover. He held it as far out in front of him as possible, and made sure the flash was on. Then he clicked it.

—,

After individual photos of everyone—Captain included—the party dispersed, promising to meet them again later that evening at the Waffle-a-Gogo Palace. One by one, Vincent's bedroom emptied, until only Cid remained.

The blonde pilot sighed. Vincent cocked his head to one side, ebony locks flowing silkily over his slim shoulder.

"Cid?" He shook his head slightly.

"Is it just me, Vin, or is there really something you don' like about your birthday?" Cid asked cautiously, angling himself towards Vincent in preparation for a quietly spoken answer.

This took Vincent by surprise. He recoiled from Cid, startled, his red eyes growing slightly wider. But then he relaxed, drawing closer to his companion on the bed until, both sitting cross-legged, their knees were pressing lightly together.

"Cid…we both know I'm not normal," he began. "After Cloud found me…." he trailed off, and Cid knew exactly how much emotion was hidden in the silence.

"Well, let's just say, I haven't had much to celebrate for a while," he finished, leaning backwards, eyes lifted towards the ceiling in thought.

Cid stared at the vampire-like man, and before he could help himself, before common sense or common courtesy could tell him otherwise, he fell forward, wrapping his arms tightly around Vincent. He buried his face in his shoulder, clutching at the red, tattered cloak and black shirt, and embraced him as if the pilot's very essence lived on in this man's veins.

Vincent pulled backwards instinctively, but Cid held on tight, and somehow, Cid's persistence comforted him. In his friend, his dear friend, he found for a moment a home, a welcoming feeling that nobody had ever offered him before, and he accepted it eagerly, with open arms. Hugging Cid back, his bangs in his face, Vincent was surprised to find that great, fat tears of sadness, happiness and something he could not name had welled up in his eyes, and were now spilling sloppily down his white cheek.

After several long moments, Vincent was able to tame his tears, and pulled away. Cid untangled his arms reluctantly.

"Cid…" Vincent began softly, warmly. The amount of emotion he'd put into saying just his name startled him for a moment, but made his spirit soar gleefully.

"You're a good friend," the gunman said, almost…lovingly, Cid thought. He strangled that hope immediately, debating that Vincent would never be attracted to someone outgoing, ambitious, insane…someone like Cid Highwind.

"Not as good as you deserve," Cid muttered glumly. He knew some of Vincent's past, and what he knew was not pretty. It was dark and morbid and full of loss and sorrows. He knew Vincent needed so much more than what he was giving.

Vincent didn't reply. He may not have heard at all. Instead, he leaned on Cid, resting his head on his shoulder. Cid felt the ice of Vincent's skin, but ignored it, glad of the contact. He relaxed against the wall, and absently brushed his fingers against Vincent's black silk hair and watched the clock on the opposite wall. It said 4:30. In three and a half hours, the others would be back to pick them up for the party at Waffle-a-Gogo. They had plenty of time.

The hair-stroking continued for nearly 30 minutes, until finally Vincent relaxed enough to be gently tugged into dreamland by the soft touch on his head. Cid, too, was lulled to sleep by the feel of Vin's tresses, and they were all too soon awoken by the sound of knocking on the hotel door.

Cid jumped abruptly, startling Vincent badly, and groggily got out of the bed. Stumbling around to the door, he wrenched it open, revealing the happy face of Tifa. Cid blinked a few times, only half-listening as she asked if he was ready.

"Uh…yeah! Uh…" he said sleepily, glancing back to Vincent, who was sitting up and staring at the door, very much awake. Cid shook his head in utmost bewilderment at his companion's ability to wake at a minute's notice, then chuckled a bit when he realized that he'd practically thrown the vampiric man off the bed when he'd awakened.

"Ready, Vin?" the pilot asked, full awareness chasing out the blurry edges of his vision. Vincent stood up, sweeping elegantly to Cid's side, torn cape flowing eerily around him. Cid eyed it in concern.

"Ya might wanna take that thing off, Vin," he said in warning, "the other drinkers tend ta grab onta things when they're real under it." Luckily, Cid didn't need to explain this, as Vincent had carefully removed his old cloak without hesitation and hung it on a bedpost.

The trio went out to the car, and it was quickly decided by Tifa that Cid's car would stay at the inn, and they would drive him back and leave him here to get it. The drive to the karaoke bar was as enjoyable as the last, though Vincent sat in the front by Tifa and Cid in the back. Somewhere amongst the chatter, they had parked in the Waffle-A-Gogo Palace parking lot and made their way into the bar. Cid steered Vincent to an empty table and they all sat down. The lights were dim, and a man in a suit a sickening shade of purple got on stage.

"Alright everybody, it's 8:00, and we know what happens now!! It's the Waffle Karaoke Party!! Okay, if there are any last-minute sign-ups, please do that now, the sheet is over by the door there…" the man pointed to a table with a clipboard and a pen on it. Out of the corner of his eye, Vincent caught Yuffie's wicked grin.

There was a great rush to the table, which Vincent and co. tried to stay out of. Finally, everybody calmed down, and went back to their table. Vincent was willing to bet that half of the people who just signed up were helplessly wasted. The plum-clad man got back on stage and called out the first name. A large man with a stained white t-shirt on got onto the stage, wavering dangerously on the edge as he staggered forward to grab the mic. He sang horribly, his speech slurred greatly, his balance obviously impaired, but the next man was certainly no better.

The songs continued, and though most of the contestants were awful, they all clapped, in-between laughs and jokes about them. A woman wearing a shirt so low that her breasts were threatening to jump out at them and pants low enough to give her a refined plumber's crack had just finished and jumped proudly off the stage, and the host was now looking at the list, ready to call out the next name.

"Looks like….next up is Vincent Valentine!" he said. The whole table would have missed it if Vincent hadn't stopped dead mid-laugh, his advanced hearing making him the only one able to hear above the chaos in the bar.

"What did you _do?_" he hissed evilly at Yuffie, who cringed back against Tifa. Her eyes held a guilty look in them now, as if regretting what she'd done.

"Well…I thought, you know…since it was your birthday…you could…" she began, forcing the words out around Vincent's glare.

"Make a fool out of myself in front of a bar fool of drunken idiots? Lovely, Yuffie," the vampiric man finished for her, obviously upset.

"No, I meant…you could, um…try something n-new…" Yuffie stuttered, suddenly quite afraid of the person sitting opposite her. Vincent shot her a last nasty look as the host called his name again, and got out of his seat, walking grudgingly towards the stage.

"I'll regret this…" he muttered to himself, unheard over the rest of the bar's occupants.

He got onto stage and looked around. There was a huge CD collection sitting on a table with a boom box and speakers on it.

"Just tell me the song and I'll get it myself," the host whispered to Vincent. Immediately he was at a loss. He never listened to music, had only ever heard it when Cid played his radio….

That brought a thought to mind. There had been one song he'd heard recently, and the words had seared themselves into his skull. Cid hadn't liked the song, but Vincent had asked him to keep it on that channel. He whispered the name to the host and got the mic ready.

The music started.

He filled his lungs with air.

_"I feel it everyday_

_It's all the same_

_It brings me down and I'm_

_The one to blame_

_I've tried everything_

_To get away_

_So here I go again_

_Chasing you down again_

_Why do i_

_Tell lies_

_Over and over_

_Over and over_

_I fall for you_

_Over and over_

_Over and over_

_I try not to_

_It feels like every day_

_Stays the same_

_It's dragging me down_

_And I can't pull away_

_So here I go again_

_Chasing you down again_

_Why do i_

_Tell lies_

_Over and over_

_Over and over_

_I fall for you_

_Over and over_

_Over and over_

_I try not to_

_Over and over_

_Over and over_

_You make me fall for you_

_Over and over_

_Over and over_

_You don't even try_

_So many thoughts that I can't_

_Get out of my head_

_I try to live without you_

_Every time I do I feel dead_

_I know what's best for me_

_But I want you instead_

_I keep on wasting up my time_

_Over and over_

_Over and over_

_I fall for you_

_Over and over_

_Over and over_

_I try not to_

_Over and over_

_Over and over_

_You make me fall for you_

_Over and over_

_Over and over_

_You don't even try to"_

He was so surprised to find that his voice cam easily to him, flowing up and down to match the pitch of the song. Most of the time he'd been looking at Cid, at his Cid Highwind, because he gave Vincent such confidence, and he wanted him to know that he was singing for him, only for him.

He handed the microphone back to the purple-wearing guy and jumped offstage, landing with a clank on the floor. Applause rung through the bar, Cid screaming something about how he "knows that fuckin' rock star!!".

He sat down, blushing profusely. Cid clapped a hand down on his shoulder, leaving a swelteringly hot imprint in his skin. He congratulated him, and so did Yuffie and Tifa and the rest of them. But Vincent didn't quite catch their words. His focus was on the hand that must be turning his pale skin red underneath his shirt it was so warm to him.

"…Cid Highwind!" a voice called out through the microphone. Cid looked up, startled. He couldn't believe it. The little brat had done it to both of them!!

Vincent chuckled, his lips turning up in a smile that his cloak, left at his apartment, was not able to hide. He pulled Cid up onto his feet, pushing him through the crowd and onto the stage. Cid glanced around for a minute, dazed, then calmed down. His surprise was now accompanied by amusement, and he turned to the host to whisper a song to him.

Vincent made his way back to his seat, eager to hear the blonde sing. The music started, and Vincent settled down to listen to Cid's voice.

_Another day is going by  
I'm thinking about you all the time  
But you're out there  
And I'm here waiting_

And I wrote this letter in my head  
Cuz so many things were left unsaid  
But now you're gone  
And I can't think straight

This could be the one last chance  
To make you understand

I'd do anything  
Just to hold you in my arms  
To try to make you laugh  
Cuz somehow I can't put you in the past  
I'd do anything  
Just to fall asleep with you  
Will you remember me?  
Cuz I know  
I won't forget you

Together we broke all the rules  
Dreaming of dropping out of school  
And leave this place  
To never come back

So now maybe after all these years  
If you miss me have no fear  
I'll be here  
I'll be waiting

This could be the one last chance to make you understand  
And I just can't let you leave me once again

I'd do anything  
Just to hold you in my arms  
To try to make you laugh  
Cuz somehow I can't put you in the past  
I'd do anything  
Just to fall asleep with you  
Will you remember me?  
Cuz I know  
I won't forget you

I close my eyes  
And all I see is you  
I close my eyes  
I try to sleep  
I can't forget you  
Nanana (...)  
And I'd do anything for you  
Nanana (...)

I'd do anything  
Just to hold you in my arms  
To try to make you laugh  
Cuz somehow I can't put you in the past  
I'd do anything  
Just to fall asleep with you  
Will you remember me?  
Cuz I know  
I won't forget you

I'd do anything  
To fall asleep with you  
I'd do anything  
There's nothing I won't do  
I'd do anything  
To fall asleep with you  
I'd do anything  
Cuz I know  
I won't forget you

As the song ended, Vincent realized that there was a soft heat spreading across his face. He realized, also, that the blush was due to the fact that Cid was looking at him now, intently, as if trying to send a mental message to him. Vincent didn't think it was working, but the heat in his cheeks remained.

As Cid shuffled back to the table, he was looking a bit ashamed. But nobody else noticed that.

"Cid, that was amazing!!" Tifa exclaimed encouragingly. Cid smiled, embarrassed.

"Yeah Cid, I didn't know you could _sing!_" Yuffie said happily. Cid looked flustered.

"Well, I can't, really, y'know…." he said in his defense.

"Cid…," Vincent said softly, letting the rest of them talk over him. Cid looked at him, the shame creeping back into his sky-shaded eyes.

"I know it, Vin, it wasn't that great…and, uh…y'know…" Cid stumbled hopelessly over his words. Vincent smiled a bit.

"That was wonderful, Highwind," he completed, delighting as he saw Cid's eyes abandon any shame he'd had for flat-out _staring_ at his friend while on stage and replace it with total surprise and gratitude.

"Um…well, thanks, Vin…." he mumbled, blushing.

"I think this deserves a round of drinks," Cloud said matter-of-factly. Everybody stared at him.

"Well whaddya know. Spike's askin' fer a bit o' alcohol," Cid proclaimed, smirking in amusement. Vincent's shocked expression said enough to the group to allow him to skip the words. Tifa and Yuffie simply laughed.

Cloud frowned. "I mean, we just heard Highwind and Valentine sing…for the first time…so I thought, maybe, for Vincent's birthday…to celebrate, you know…" he continued, trying to cover up for his total out-of-character proposal.

When Tifa had recovered from her attack of giggles, she called over a waiter/bartender-like person to get them five beers.

When they came, that's when the trouble began.

They quickly discovered that Yuffie had never been exposed to alcohol before. They also remembered—too late, as it turned out—that she was still a minor. She was all in a slur by the time the first cup was finished. Cid was completely sober, as was Tifa. Cloud was beginning to get a bit air headed, however, and Vincent was too. In between drunken jokes and impolite conversation, Vincent somehow got a hold of another beer, and was soon completely wasted.

"Well Cid, I think it's time to take these three home. They don't look so great," Tifa said decisively. Cid nodded. He didn't think Vincent had ever had any alcohol in his entire life, and had a very low tolerance for it. Cloud, he knew, had had spiked eggnog before, at their Christmas party…he didn't want to think about that. At least he wasn't as bad tonight, Cid thought, watching Cloud sway a bit as Tifa helped him up.

Tifa had her arm around Cloud's waist, her other arm under Yuffie's arm to keep the pair up, but Cid didn't want to risk Vincent getting hit in the head, bruised by his less-than-gentle grip, or too tired from having to support his drunk self all the way out the door, so he simply picked the man up, bridal-style, and carried him after Tifa.

Happy with the feel of Vin's hair against his arm, and his head against his chest, Cid carried Vincent out to the car. He put him in the back seat, buckling him in securely, Yuffie between Cloud and him to keep her from getting too crazy, and took his own seat by Tifa up front. The party left Waffle-a-Gogo Palace and drove home, Cid watching the round yellow lights of the city wash by in a blur of almost-shapes and half-shadows. When they finally reached the hotel, Cid had had just about enough of Yuffie's hands in his hair and his goggles and everywhere else she could reach from the back seat. He struggled out of the car and un-strapped Vincent, uttering a quick "thanks" and "bye" to Tifa, and, picking up his companion, went to Vin's apartment.

Once inside, Cid placed Vincent on his bed and went to make something hot to eat. Every time Cid got seriously drunk, Shera would always make him some hot soup or a really hot sandwich to start bringing him down. Although Cid wasn't much of a cook, he could make tea, hot or cold, and was content to do that for his wasted friend.

Vincent sat on the bed for a while, staring around and watching Cid shuffle around his kitchen making tea. His mind was hazy, but he remembered the Captain. When he came in to give Vincent his hot, steaming peppermint-flavored tea, Vincent took it eagerly, not because he particularly wanted it, but because the Captain was offering it to him.

"Come on Vin, drink up," Cid said soothingly, holding the cup between Vincent's unstable fingers. He did as he was instructed, and it felt good to have his throat nearly scalded by the hot beverage. But Cid knew it wouldn't hurt him. He would never hurt Vincent.

Vincent struggled to finish his tea, and when it was finally gone, Cid opened the shades of Vincent's window so that they could see the stars and the brightly shining moon. When he turned around, Vincent was standing behind him. For a drunk man, he still moved with much of his usual grace and all his normal silence. He scared Cid, and the blonde pilot jumped slightly.

"S-stay?" Vincent asked shyly, his voice slightly slurred by the whine. Cid looked startled, but nodded. Vincent smiled very, very slightly.

Cid went over to Vincent's bed to add a quilt for the cold weather they were having that night, and once again, when he turned around, there was Vincent, standing right behind him. His red orbs were strangely soft, deep, and almost desperate in the half-light created by the moon when Cid had turned the kitchen light off. Vincent leaned forward, Cid suddenly very conscious of how close their faces were, and their bodies in general.

Vincent moved forward suddenly, and Cid started, falling backwards onto the bed, instinctively grabbing Vin's shirt for support and dragging him along. Now Vincent was on top of him, his hair falling in both of their faces. Cid's breathing escalated as Vincent drew closer to his face, their noses almost touching. Vincent reached up with his clawed hand and touched Cid's course hair, causing the pilot to shudder slightly.

Without his permission, Cid pulled his hand out from under Vincent and touched his porcelain face, surprised to find that it was unusually warm. His eyes softened, asking Vincent silently to come closer. The man with the midnight hair did as was asked of him, and drew closer, causing Cid's breath to catch in his throat. Time froze for that moment, waiting for their decision.

Cid's eyelids fell closed, and he felt the faintest flutter of what must have been Vincent's lips before a tangle of silken hair fell into Cid's face and a light 'thud' was heard as Vincent fainted onto the bed next to him.

—,

Morning approached Rocket Town as a very unwelcome guest for the pair of _Avalanche_ members currently sleeping in a bed in Vincent's inn room. October sunlight filtered through the un-shaded window, stabbing into their dreams. Cid was the first to give in to the bright light on the other side of his eyelids. He opened his eyes gingerly to find himself tangled up around Vincent. His arms were around his waist, Vincent's own arms on Cid's shoulders. His head was on top of Cid's, hair all in his face. The two had their legs tangled and entwined as well.

Cid struggled to remove himself from the bed without awakening his companion, and, once he succeeded, he set about making breakfast for the two of them. Like was mentioned, Cid wasn't much at cooking, but he could make the basics. He concocted, after a bit of trouble and improvising, a plateful of slightly spongy-tasting scrambled eggs, three pieces of bacon for reach of them, (half-burnt) and two pieces of toast with jelly (which got everywhere except the toast, until he gave up and dumped the jelly out onto the bread). He put the two plates on the table, and set to work making some more peppermint tea—which was all he could make with what Vincent's kitchen had to offer.

Finally, table set, he went to wake Vincent. He paused when he saw him, though; he was laying on the bed in the most beautiful, innocent pose, his hair was everywhere, just he way Cid thought was so inexcusably sexy, and his shirt had been dragged upwards in his sleep, exposing part of his smooth back in a very cute way. Cid smiled—he would probably never see Vincent like this again.

He moved towards the bed and shook him slightly by the shoulders, and Vin's red, red eyes opened slowly. He stirred, then sat up drowsily, holding his head in agony.

"Yer probly a little hung over, but come an' eat an' you'll feel better," Cid said brightly, understanding what a good meal (albeit slightly burnt) could do for a hangover. Vincent obeyed and followed Cid to the table, where the surprise in seeing two plates full of food showed clearly on his face.

"Cid…you made all this yourself?" Vincent asked, still a little groggy. Cid's cheeks took on a little red color.

"Well, yeah, I know all abou' hangovers and stuff, so I figured I'd make ya somethin'…" he answered shyly. Vincent walked over to the table and sat down, picking up a fork. He took a bite, then another, and soon Cid joined him. The two finished breakfast, and Vincent helped clean up. As Vincent put dishes back where they went, Cid went to stand by the window, staring up at the clear, blue sky he was taught was the perfect sky for flying in.

"It's beautiful," Vincent's deep voice said to Cid. He jumped a little, but calmed down even before he saw Vincent. He was getting used to this.

"I know, it is…" Cid said, resisting the urge to replace the 'it is' with 'you are'. He sighed, fighting back the longing he'd felt last night, trying to chain it down so that it would not show today.

"So…about last night…" Vincent started. Cid glanced at him; he didn't look angry, but he didn't look happy either. He almost looked…sad.

Cid wanted to ask if he knew or not, if he could remember. But wouldn't it sound stupid, to ask if he remembered how badly Cid wanted him?

"You know…your tea can do amazing things," he said, answering the question for him. Cid's eyes trained on the ground. He was so ashamed of his own desires now. Didn't he realize how many people would kill to have someone who looked like Vincent love them? He was ashamed because he knew Vincent wouldn't choose _him._

"Vin…y'know, I'm…I didn't mean to, or…or anything…" Cid mumbled, trying to force the words out around the embarrassment and tears rapidly building up.

Before he could get any further, Vincent grabbed onto Cid's shoulders and turned him around to face the vampiric man.

"Cid…" he whispered, his eyes showing the same total desperate look they had the night previous. Cid's eyes widened as he recognized his tone of voice. Cid used it only on pointless, summer-sunshine days when he sat outside and at a sandwich and thought about Vincent.

Cid moved forward helplessly, being dragged on only by his sheer desire to complete last night's barely-touched deed. Vincent lowered his face to his, and their lips met in a burst of affection.

Cid twined his arms around Vincent's pale neck, hugging his face closer to his. Vincent's lips parted in welcome as his own arms took possession of Cid's waist. Cid kept the kiss going, wrapping his fingers around pieces of Vin's hair.

The softness of Vincent's hair combined with the heavenly taste of his mouth was enough to cause Cid's senses to melt away to anything but the man he was holding. Even his smell, clean of cigarettes, alcohol, tea or anything else Cid was used to, was making the pilot air-headed.

They finally pulled away for breath, sapphire eyes locking gaze with Vincent's cherry colored ones.

"I love you, ya'know…" Cid stated breathlessly, drunk on Vincent's taste, and the smell of his hair and skin making him dizzy with longing. Vincent smiled, satisfied. His head swayed a bit, obviously having the same reaction to Cid as the blonde was having from Vin.

"I know….and I love you too…" Vincent said, his silky voice adding to Cid's already swimming senses. High on the man in his arms, he leaned forward, and Vincent once again welcomed his intruder. His Captain. His Cid Highwind.


End file.
